When Jason Aaron takes on the reins of Action Comics this week for the first chapter of his three-part story ‘I, Bizarro,’ he’s giving the ersatz Man of Steel an unexpected upgrade that makes perfect sense, given the Bizarro’s history of being the anti-Superman.

As can be glimpsed briefly in preview pages for Action Comics #1061, out January 9, Bizarro has a new tool in his arsenal: magic. “Somehow, Bizarro simply knows what is needed,” the narration for the scene runs. “Since the Sorcerers’ World, he can see in a way no Bizarro ever has. The threads of all existence lie unspooled before him.”

“Right away knew I wanted to give him a different power set and have him just be a different sort of threat to Superman than what we've seen before,” Aaron told Popverse about the change. “I knew I wanted to have a big fight, just the two of them duking it out. And then to bring magic in the equation and have him use, to me it made sense. Of course, he would be really good at magic, right? And I had to ask Mark Waid, ‘Am I wrong? Has anybody done this before?’ And Mark Waid gave me approval so I felt like that's all I needed.”

Of course, given that Bizarro has traditionally been the backwards Superman — to the point where he even speaks in opposites to what he intends — it’s only fitting that his newest power should be Superman’s greatest weakness. (Well, Kryptonite aside.) As to what advantage magic is going to give Bizarro… well, for that you’ll have to read the issue itself, of course.

Aaron’s full conversation with Popverse about writing Superman, remaking Bizarro, and more will run on the site later this week. Action Comics #1061 will be available January 9.

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